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KANCHO SOSAI MAS OYAMA – MESSAGE 1985

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KANCHO SOSAI MAS OYAMA – MESSAGE 1985

Often my students ask me what kind of qualities are required to make a good black belt. I always say that the way of the Budo-karateka is a long and a hard one. But I have, to add that the character of a person of prime importance.

In order to have positive character, it is necessary lead a regular life. If you want to become a good karateka, it is necessary to train every day. It is the teacher’s duty, just like a School, to note down whether there are not too much non-attendances. It is a must to train 2 hours daily, so in one Month you must, have done 60 hours of training. I always tell the Uchi Deshi they have to study hard and train well, that is very important. These rules of having certain customs, a schedule, are not only for karate but can be applied to daily life as well.

I believe karate contains 3 main points; 10% are for the activities like camps and championships, 15% is for the power and all the rest is the heart which is of great importance, If you want to follow the Kyokushin way, you cannot exclude Summer camp nor Winter camp from your training programme.

But the secret of a good karateka lies in his kihon. You have to repeat and repeat the basics, because it takes a long time before you can grasp the Meaning of basical techniques. You should train basics daily and not forget to consult books and then you should apply these techniques in your kumite.

50 years ago, my teacher told me it takes 3 years to make a proper fist, another 3 years to, have a good stance, and another 3 years to have a good punch. Now, after so many years, I came to the conclusion that all my questions are not answered yet.

I respect very much Miyamoto Musashi (a famous Budoka and artist of earlier times). It was him who said the Budo-way is very hard and long, and I can agree with that. Experience is very important, knowledge comes by the years. You do not have to rush, step by step you will learn. A child has to train and study in a child-way and an adult has to do it in an adult-way. Everything depends on the age.

The grading is very important in life, for the person himself, becoming Dan-holder and for the Kyokushin Organization. It is necessary to work hard to obtain the black belt, but at that very moment the goal is not achieved yet, one can always become stronger. The Kyokushin way is a hard and very long

How to Fix 4 Common Kettlebell Swing Mistakes

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How To Fix 4 Common Kettlebell Swing Mistakes

The kettlebell swing is a phenomenal exercise. I think it should be part of every training program. It addresses explosive power, the posterior chain, anaerobic conditioning and even grip strength. The kettlebell swing has many awesome qualities!

It’s also the foundation for more advanced kettlebell movements like one-arm swings, cleans and snatches. Before progressing to those more advanced movements, make sure that your two-hand swing is dialed in and that you can maintain proper technique with heavy kettlebells and high reps.

Let’s dial in our kettlebell swing technique by avoiding these four common mistakes.

Common Kettlebell Swing Mistake #1:
Poor Setup

There are several key concepts to remember for the kettlebell swing setup.

How far away are you from the kettlebell? If you’re too far from the bell, then you might shift too much weight forward and shrug your shoulders up to your ears while reaching for the bell.

Ideally, you want to sit back with your shoulders pulled down and the kettlebell tilted toward you.

Also, make sure that your hips are below your shoulders. If your hips are too high, then you may not be able to generate a lot of power with your first rep. And the swing is all about power.

Common Kettlebell Swing Mistake #2:
Arms Disconnected from the Body with Wrong Hip Hinge Timing

This mistake can cause discomfort or even injury to your lower back, so let’s dial this one in!

Each time the kettlebell is swung between your legs, even from the initial hike, your arms should connect to your torso. Upper arms connect to your ribcage and forearms connect to your inner thighs.

This will allow the hips to propel the kettlebell forward creating much more power.

Once you’ve reached the top of the swing, you want to stay standing tall for as long as possible while the kettlebell comes back down. Essentially, you’re playing chicken with the kettlebell.

Pushing your hips back too soon—while the kettlebell is still out in front of you—can cause unnecessary stress on the lower back.

The hips push the arms forward, the arms push the hips back.

Towel swing drill

Common Kettlebell Swing Mistake #3:
Using Your Arms and Shoulders to Raise the Kettlebell

The kettlebell swing is an explosive hip hinge, not a shoulder raise or shrug.

If the kettlebell is drooping at the top of the swing, or your shoulders and neck are feeling it, then you’re using your upper body way too much.

The arms are simply a tether holding onto the kettlebell. They shouldn’t do the heavy lifting. If you’re having issues with this, then check out the towel swing drill in the video below.

Common Kettlebell Swing Mistake #4:
Not Fully Locking Out Your hips or Knees at the Top of the Swing

In order to fully express your power, you must have full extension from the hips and knees. This doesn’t mean hyper-extending your knees, rather straightening your knees by flexing your quads.

You also don’t want to leave your hips back. You MUST contract your glutes hard at the top of the swing for maximum power and to protect your lower back.

Watch this video to see each mistake and correction.

I hope these tips help you master your kettlebell swing. When you get the swing dialed in, it’s one of the best exercises you can do for your fitness.

Avoid these 4 mistakes in the Kettlebell Swing – YouTube